Transportation experts Daniel Sperling and Deborah Gordon provide a concise history of America's love affair with cars and an overview of the global oil and auto industries.

The authors explain how we arrived in this state, and what we can do about it. They expose the roots of the problem – the resistant auto-industry, dysfunctional oil markets, short-sighted government policies, and unmotivated consumers.

The authors contend that the places with the most troublesome emissions problems -- California and China -- are taking the lead in developing effective strategies that can help wean us from our reliance on petroleum-fueled cars- World Affairs Council of Washington, D.C.

Deborah Gordon

Deborah Gordon is a senior transportation policy analyst who has provided consulting services to the National Commission on Energy Policy, the California Energy Commission, Hewlett Foundation, and the Chinese government to develop fiscal policies for their burgeoning auto fleet.
She earlier served as director of transportation and energy programs at the Union of Concerned Scientists, senior research scholar at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and a chemical engineer at Chevron.

Daniel Sperling

Daniel Sperling is Professor of Engineering and Environmental Science & Policy at the University of California, Davis, and Founding Director of University of California, Davis's Institute of Transportation Studies.
He also serves on the California Air Resources Board, chairs the Future of Mobility Council of the Davos World Economic Forum, and has authored 10 books and over 200 technical papers and reports on transportation and energy.